386YE Spring Equinox winds of war
Overview
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there has been more dramatic action, or where there are opportunities, we've given a Wind of War its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.
As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the Winds of Fortune is to make players aware of things their characters should know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of Anvil.
It should go without saying that we ask everyone to abide by the rules about online roleplaying with regard to the military campaign. It's important that the key in-character activity of the Empire world takes place at events. The game is busier and better if everything that can happen in the field, does happen in the field. Military planning and political discussions should happen at events. For this reason we generally discourage too much downtime roleplaying between events and put strict limits on what can be done online particularly using our forums and Facebook groups.
All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
Seasons Turn
Spring bursts, an explosion of rain and flowers. The sun rouses from its Winter slumber, spreading green and gold and ivory white across dark earth, kindling sticky buds from dead branches. It is three-hundred-and-eighty-six years since the Empire began. A new year; a new start, a chance for renewal and respite... but some things do not change. Listen, do you hear it? The echo of hammer on shield, of sword through flesh, of blood pattering on the thirsty soil? So Winter fades into Spring and the year turns and everything changes... everything except for war.
The scions of Cold Sun seek the destruction of everything that lives, everything capable of change. They will bring ruin to everything that sparks joy, that speaks of a future better than the present or the past. The Empire's heroes raise sword and shield, raise their voices in song, raise their fists in defiance against them, but will it be enough? We take each army that marches in the name of oblivion in turn, and mark their progress in Eclipse.
In the south-east of the Empire, the Lasambrian Jotun continue their invasion of Kahraman. Last season their advance was barely slowed; this time however there are Imperial armies there to face their challenge. Battle is joined, in the name of Virtue, in the shadow of the cinnabar hills. Whose virtue will prove the stronger? The answer may be found Below the red rock.
Further to the north, in Skallahn those armies that had beset the Jotun withdraw back across the snow-swept taiga into Sermersuaq. Let the Jotun rail against the storm winds; no garrisons left behind to face their wrath they must content themselves with reclaiming what land the Empire took from them. The steel tide ebbs; it will rise again in time. It always does.
Leap across the Empire then, arrowing across marsh and city, hill and road, fallow farmland and snow-dusted forests. Across the sea, giving a wide berth to the cursed land where the black spiral endlessly turns. To Mareave, and the conquest of the Broken Shore. Gliding over the ramshackle towers and cracked roofs and chained palaces of Beoraidh, to where five armies fight. Listen to the wind, and the winding tale of Sea-wood fed with copper.
And then back across, over the swelling sea, over the Bay of Catazar to the Brass Coast - what there is left of it. To Madruga, where the eyes of sorrow have been fixed, where once the City of Sails billowed in the sea-winds. The Empire takes to task the forces that burned Siroc, and fight to reclaim the shores, and over them wheel the raucous chorus of the sea birds. Listen, do you hear? What secrets can be untangled from the cry of gulls?
Battle opportunities
Imperial prognosticators have identified four possible major conjunctions of the Sentinel Gate at the coming summit. The Military Council will muster on Friday night, and the generals will select two of them to be taken up by Imperial heroes. All of the battle opportunities can be attempted on either the Saturday or Sunday of the equinox. At the moment the full details of these opportunities are not clear; more information will be provided nearer to the event.
All battle opportunities are Combat Highly Likely environments.
| Location | Opportunity | Opposition | Day | Learn More |
| Liathaven, Liath's Glen, Wyndyn Path | TBC | Jotun & Yegarra | Either Day | TBC |
| Kallavesa, West March, Hvalgrunn | TBC | Jotun & Yegarra | Either Day | TBC |
| Mareave, Fleisardh, Brine Blood Bay | TBC | Grendel | Either Day | TBC |
| Madruga, Free Landing, Siakha's Maw | TBC | Grendel | Either Day | TBC |
| Nation | Force Weight |
|---|---|
| Brass Coast | |
| Dawn | |
| Highguard | |
| Imperial Orcs | |
| League | |
| Marches | |
| Navarr | |
| Urizen | |
| Varushka | |
| Wintermark |
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the Muster of the Imperial Military Council on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least XXX and at most XXX force weight sent on it.
Conjunctions
The Sentinel Gate also allows smaller groups of Imperial citizens to reach locations all over the Empire where their intervention might change the course of events. Many of these conjunctions involve combat, but there are also a variety of other opportunities presented by the magic of the Gate.
For most conjunctions, the Civil Service has identified the Imperial titles that are the most appropriate to take overall responsibility for ensuring that a response is organised. Whilst the individual has been named by the Civil Service, there is no legal requirement for them to coordinate a response or travel on the conjunction. They may delegate oversight to another individual of their choosing. As always, Imperial war scouts will be on hand at the Sentinel Gate to provide further information to any citizens wanting to learn more. They can provide updates on the barbarians' goals, guidance on how to engage the enemy troops or advice on how to avoid casualties and return back to Anvil in safety.
Sometimes it is necessary for us to make small adjustments to the timing or size of encounters at the time of this publication and when an encounter runs at an event. Details for the conjunctions on Friday will be finalised on Friday afternoon of the event before time-in (18:00) whilst details for the conjunctions on Saturday will be finalised on Saturday before time-in (10:00). Please check the details of any conjunction you are interested in as soon as possible to ensure that you have the full and up-to-date information; it might also be sensible to check again shortly before the planned time of the encounter. You can check the details of a conjunction by casting Detect Magic (Discover Conjunction) on the Sentinel Gate in the presence of a referee.
It's very important to pay attention to the accessibility note for each conjunction, which covers the likelihood of combat. Further details about the accessibility of a conjunction are available both before and during the event. You can learn more about this on the accessibility page.
Military Considerations
Several territory pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several fortifications that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Spring Equinox.
- Billeting: Any Imperial army can take the Billet order in Upwold or Mitwold. Link
- Dawn: Dawnish armies cannot take the Cautious Advance order or the Give Ground order. Link
- The Marches: Marcher armies cannot take the Give Ground order. Link
- The Marches: The Strong Reeds receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in Bregasland. Link
- Varushka: Varushkan armies involved in the same campaign as an army from the Brass Coast or Wintermark generate 10% fewer victory points. If armies from both nations are present, the reduction is increased to 20%. Link.
- Varushka: Varushkan armies can take the Hospitality of the Boyars order whilst in Ossium. Link.
- Wintermark: Wintermark armies can take the Fight with Honour order. Link.
- Wintermark: Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. Link
- Wintermark: Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. Link
Click Expand to see military considerations that are less relevant at the current time but are still active.
- Zenith: Any Highborn or Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. Link
- Morrow: Any Highborn or Urizen army that defends in Morrow against an army attacking from Zenith gains a 20% bonus to defend territory and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. Link